[http://code.google.com/p/fcitx/ FCITX] (Flexible Input Method Framework) is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input_method input method framework] aiming at providing environment independent language support for Linux. It supports a lot of different languages and also provides many useful non-CJK features.

==Installation==

==Installation==

{{Pkg|fcitx}} can be installed with [[Pacman]] from the [community] repository.

{{Pkg|fcitx}} can be installed with [[Pacman]] from the [community] repository.

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In order to have a better experience in gtk and qt programs (especially gtk programs) (e.g. better cursor following) and get rid of many unsolvable problems/bugs caused by xim, please install the corresponding input method modules for gtk and qt: {{Pkg|fcitx-gtk2}} (for gtk2 programs), {{Pkg|fcitx-gtk3}} (for gtk3 programs) and {{Pkg|fcitx-qt}} (for qt programs). You can install all four of them in a bundle by issuing this command:

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pacman -S fcitx-im

==Using FCITX to Input==

==Using FCITX to Input==

Before you can make use of FCITX for input, you have to setup some environment variables. It is quite simple.

Before you can make use of FCITX for input, you have to setup some environment variables. It is quite simple.

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*Opening the {{ic|.xprofile}} (or {{ic|.profile}} depending on the desktop environment and display manager you are using) file in your home directory and add following lines:

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*Adding the following lines to your desktop startup script files ({{ic|.xprofile}} or {{ic|.profile}} when you are using KDM, GDM or LightDM, and {{ic|.xinitrc}} when you are using startx or Slim). With these lines, fcitx will work along with gtk/qt input method modules and support xim programs (Please make sure the necessary input method modules are already installed):

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#setup XIM environment

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export GTK_IM_MODULE=fcitx

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export QT_IM_MODULE=fcitx

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export XMODIFIERS="@im=fcitx"

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Optionally, you can also choose to use xim in your gtk and/or qt programs, in which case you need to change the corresponding lines above as following:

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export GTK_IM_MODULE=xim

export GTK_IM_MODULE=xim

export QT_IM_MODULE=xim

export QT_IM_MODULE=xim

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export XMODIFIERS="@im=fcitx"

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Since 4.1.0, Fcitx provides it's own input method module, {{Pkg|fcitx-gtk2}}, {{Pkg|fcitx-gtk3}}, and {{Pkg|fcitx-qt}}. It's recommend to use input method module instead of xim directly, in order to resolve strange bugs brought by XIM.

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{{Warning| Using xim can sometimes cause problems that are not solvable by any input method including not being able to input, no cursor following, application freeze on input method restart. For these xim related problems, Fcitx cannot provide any fix or support. This is the same with any other input method framework, so please use toolkit (gtk/qt) input method modules instead of xim whenever possible}}

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You can set corresponding environment variables

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{{Note|Gtk2 uses {{ic|/usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/immodules.cache}} as immodule cache file since 2.24.20. If you have set {{ic|GTM_IM_MODULE_FILE}} environment variable or do not use install script of official packages to update the cache, please change/clear the environment variable and use {{ic|/usr/bin/gtk-query-immodules-2.0 --update-cache}} to update immodule cache.}}

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export GTK_IM_MODULE=fcitx

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export QT_IM_MODULE=fcitx

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*Re-login to make such environment effective.

*Re-login to make such environment effective.

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If you are using any XDG compatible desktop environment such as [[KDE]], [[GNOME]], [[XFCE]], [[LXDE]], after you relogin, the autostart should work out of box. If not, open your favorite terminal, type:

If you are using any XDG compatible desktop environment such as [[KDE]], [[GNOME]], [[XFCE]], [[LXDE]], after you relogin, the autostart should work out of box. If not, open your favorite terminal, type:

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fcitx

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$ fcitx

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To see if fcitx is working correctly, open an application such as leafpad and press CTRL+Space(the default shortcut for switching input method) to invoke FCITX and input some words.

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To see if fcitx is working correctly, open an application such as leafpad and press CTRL+Space (the default shortcut for switching input method) to invoke FCITX and input some words.

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If everything goes well, you may want to add fcitx to your {{ic|.xinitrc}} file (see [[xinitrc]]) if the xdg autostart doesn't work for you:

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If Fcitx failed to start with your desktop automatically or if you want to change the parameters to start fcitx, please use tools provided by your desktop environment to configure xdg auto start or edit the {{ic|fcitx-autostart.desktop}} file in your {{ic|~/.config/autostart/}} directory (copy it from {{ic|/etc/xdg/autostart/}} if it doesn't exist yet).

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fcitx -r

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If your desktop environment does not support xdg auto start, please add the following command to your startup script (after the environment variables are set up properly).

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Enjoy!

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$ fcitx

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When other input methods with xim support is also running, Fcitx may fail to start due to xim error. Please make sure no other input method is running before you start Fcitx.

==Configuration==

==Configuration==

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Fcitx provides GUI configure tool since version 4.0. You can install either {{Pkg|kcm-fcitx}}(based on kcm), {{Pkg|fcitx-configtool}}(based on gtk3), or {{AUR|fcitx-configtool-gtk2}}(based on gtk2, unsupported) from [[Arch User Repository|AUR]]. Editing the configure file manually is possible but is not supported anymore and may cause trouble.

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Fcitx provides GUI configure tool. You can install either {{Pkg|kcm-fcitx}}(based on kcm), {{Pkg|fcitx-configtool}}(based on gtk3), or {{AUR|fcitx-configtool-gtk2}}(based on gtk2, unsupported) from [[Arch User Repository|AUR]].

==Desktop Environment Integration==

==Desktop Environment Integration==

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===Gnome-Shell===

===Gnome-Shell===

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You can install {{AUR|gnome-shell-extension-kimpanel-git}} package in [[Arch User Repository|AUR]], which provides a similar user experience as ibus-gjs.

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You can install kimpanel from extensions.gnome.org or {{AUR|gnome-shell-extension-kimpanel-git}} package in [[Arch User Repository|AUR]], which provides a similar user experience as ibus-gjs.

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Since GNOME is trying its best to break every single input method, in order to use Fcitx, you will need to remove all input sources from gnome-control-center, clear all the hotkeys for input methods and issue the following command to disable iBus integration:

{{Pkg|kdeplasma-addons-applets-kimpanel}} is a plasmoids, that provides native feeling under kde desktop. Simply add kimpanel to plasma and fcitx will automatically switch to it without extra configuration.

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{{Pkg|kdeplasma-addons-applets-kimpanel}} is a plasmoids providing native feeling under kde. Simply add kimpanel to plasma and fcitx will automatically switch to it without extra configuration.

==Install other components of fcitx==

==Install other components of fcitx==

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If you need [[wikipedia:Bopomofo|Bopomofo]] support, you can install {{Pkg|fcitx-chewing}} or {{Pkg|fcitx-libpinyin}}.

If you need [[wikipedia:Bopomofo|Bopomofo]] support, you can install {{Pkg|fcitx-chewing}} or {{Pkg|fcitx-libpinyin}}.

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If you need [[wikipedia:Cangjie_input_method|Cangjie]], [[wikipedia:Zhengma|Zhengma]], [[wikipedia:Boshiamy|Boshiamy]] support, you can install {{AUR|fcitx-table-extra}} in [[Arch User Repository|AUR]].

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If you need [[wikipedia:Cangjie_input_method|Cangjie]], [[wikipedia:Zhengma|Zhengma]], [[wikipedia:Boshiamy|Boshiamy]] support, you can install {{Pkg|fcitx-table-extra}}.

[http://www.m17n.org/index.html m17n] provides quite a long other language support, you can install m17n support for fcitx with {{AUR|fcitx-m17n}} in [[Arch User Repository|AUR]].

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[http://www.m17n.org/index.html m17n] provides quite a long other language support, you can install m17n support for fcitx with {{Pkg|fcitx-m17n}}

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==Clipboard Access==

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You can use fcitx to input text in you clipboard (as well as a short clipboard history and primary selection). The default trigger key is Control-;. You can change the trigger key as well as other options in the Clipboard addon configure page.

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NOTE: This is NOT a clipboard manager, it doesn't hold the selection or change it's content as what a clipboard manager is supposed to do. It can only be used to input from the clipboard.

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{{Warning| Some client doesn't support multi-line input so you may see the multi-line clipboard content pasted as a single line using fcitx-clipboard. That's either a bug or feature of the program been input and it's not something fcitx is able to help with.}}

==Troubleshooting==

==Troubleshooting==

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===CTRL+Space does not work===

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* Emacs

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If you cannot invoke FCITX by pressing the CTRL+Space keyboard combination, but FCITX runs in background without problem, please check your [[locale]], and make sure your locale is un-commented in /etc/locale.gen.

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If your LC_CTYPE is English, you may not be able to use input method in emacs due to a old emacs' bug. You can set your LC_CTYPE to something else such as "zh_CN.UTF-8" before emacs starts to get rid of this problem.

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After that it seems that by simply change LC_CTYPE to zh_CN.UTF-8 (or probably any Chinese locale) will get it done for Chinese input.

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The default fontset will use `-*-*-*-r-normal--14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*' as basefont(in src/xfns.c), if you do not have one matched(like terminus、or 75dpi things, you can look the output of `xlsfonts'), XIM can not be activated.

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* Input method module

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{{Warning| You may still be able to use input method in most programs without the input method module, however, you may have unsolvable weird problems if you do so.}}

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{{Warning| for firefox above version 13, the popup menu may fail to work due to xim, please make sure that fcitx-gtk2 along with a latest version fcitx are installed.}}

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* Ctrl+Space fail to work in GTK programs

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This problem sometimes happens especially when locale is set as English. Please make sure your GTK_IM_MODULE is set correctly.

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See also [http://fcitx-im.org/wiki/FAQ#When_use_Ctrl_.2B_Space.2C_Fcitx_cannot_be_triggered_on FAQ]

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If you have set the *_IM_MODULE environment variables to fcitx but cannot activate fcitx, please check if you have installed the corresponding input method modules.

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===On KDE, CTRL+Space does not work on Firefox, Chromium etc. GTK applications===

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Some programs can only use xim, if you are using these programs, please make sure your XMODIFIERS is set properly and be aware of the problems you may have. These programs includes: all programs that are not using gtk or qt (e.g. programs that use tk, motif, or xlib directly), emacs, opera, openoffice, libreoffice, skype

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Install {{Pkg|fcitx-gtk2}}, {{Pkg|fcitx-gtk3}}.

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If you cannot enable fcitx in gnome-terminal under gnome and the above way doesn't work, try selecting Fcitx in the right click Input method menu.

==See also==

==See also==

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* [http://fcitx.github.com/handbook/ User Handbook (Chinese)]

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*[https://github.com/fcitx/fcitx/ Fcitx GitHub]

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*[https://code.google.com/p/fcitx/ Fcitx Google Code]

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*[http://fcitx-im.org/ Fcitx Wiki]

Revision as of 07:57, 21 July 2013

FCITX (Flexible Input Method Framework) is a input method framework aiming at providing environment independent language support for Linux. It supports a lot of different languages and also provides many useful non-CJK features.

Installation

In order to have a better experience in gtk and qt programs (especially gtk programs) (e.g. better cursor following) and get rid of many unsolvable problems/bugs caused by xim, please install the corresponding input method modules for gtk and qt: fcitx-gtk2 (for gtk2 programs), fcitx-gtk3 (for gtk3 programs) and fcitx-qt (for qt programs). You can install all four of them in a bundle by issuing this command:

pacman -S fcitx-im

Using FCITX to Input

Before you can make use of FCITX for input, you have to setup some environment variables. It is quite simple.

Adding the following lines to your desktop startup script files (.xprofile or .profile when you are using KDM, GDM or LightDM, and .xinitrc when you are using startx or Slim). With these lines, fcitx will work along with gtk/qt input method modules and support xim programs (Please make sure the necessary input method modules are already installed):

Optionally, you can also choose to use xim in your gtk and/or qt programs, in which case you need to change the corresponding lines above as following:

export GTK_IM_MODULE=xim
export QT_IM_MODULE=xim

Warning: Using xim can sometimes cause problems that are not solvable by any input method including not being able to input, no cursor following, application freeze on input method restart. For these xim related problems, Fcitx cannot provide any fix or support. This is the same with any other input method framework, so please use toolkit (gtk/qt) input method modules instead of xim whenever possible

Note: Gtk2 uses /usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/immodules.cache as immodule cache file since 2.24.20. If you have set GTM_IM_MODULE_FILE environment variable or do not use install script of official packages to update the cache, please change/clear the environment variable and use /usr/bin/gtk-query-immodules-2.0 --update-cache to update immodule cache.

Re-login to make such environment effective.

If you are using any XDG compatible desktop environment such as KDE, GNOME, XFCE, LXDE, after you relogin, the autostart should work out of box. If not, open your favorite terminal, type:

$ fcitx

To see if fcitx is working correctly, open an application such as leafpad and press CTRL+Space (the default shortcut for switching input method) to invoke FCITX and input some words.

If Fcitx failed to start with your desktop automatically or if you want to change the parameters to start fcitx, please use tools provided by your desktop environment to configure xdg auto start or edit the fcitx-autostart.desktop file in your ~/.config/autostart/ directory (copy it from /etc/xdg/autostart/ if it doesn't exist yet).

If your desktop environment does not support xdg auto start, please add the following command to your startup script (after the environment variables are set up properly).

$ fcitx

When other input methods with xim support is also running, Fcitx may fail to start due to xim error. Please make sure no other input method is running before you start Fcitx.

Desktop Environment Integration

Gnome-Shell

Since GNOME is trying its best to break every single input method, in order to use Fcitx, you will need to remove all input sources from gnome-control-center, clear all the hotkeys for input methods and issue the following command to disable iBus integration:

KDE

kdeplasma-addons-applets-kimpanel is a plasmoids providing native feeling under kde. Simply add kimpanel to plasma and fcitx will automatically switch to it without extra configuration.

Install other components of fcitx

All components of fcitx will requires fcitx to restart after install.

Keyboard layout integration

fcitx-keyboard is now built-in supported. Open a configuration tool (kcm-fcitx or fcitx-configtool mentioned above), you might want to uncheck the "Show only current language" and find your keyboard layout.

In order to enable spell checking, press ctrl + alt + h when fcitx is on a input method provides by fcitx-keyboard. Then that's it, you can type long word, to see whether it works.

Japanese Input Method

Korean Input Method

Other language

m17n provides quite a long other language support, you can install m17n support for fcitx with fcitx-m17n

Clipboard Access

You can use fcitx to input text in you clipboard (as well as a short clipboard history and primary selection). The default trigger key is Control-;. You can change the trigger key as well as other options in the Clipboard addon configure page.

NOTE: This is NOT a clipboard manager, it doesn't hold the selection or change it's content as what a clipboard manager is supposed to do. It can only be used to input from the clipboard.

Warning: Some client doesn't support multi-line input so you may see the multi-line clipboard content pasted as a single line using fcitx-clipboard. That's either a bug or feature of the program been input and it's not something fcitx is able to help with.

Troubleshooting

Emacs

If your LC_CTYPE is English, you may not be able to use input method in emacs due to a old emacs' bug. You can set your LC_CTYPE to something else such as "zh_CN.UTF-8" before emacs starts to get rid of this problem.

The default fontset will use `-*-*-*-r-normal--14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*' as basefont(in src/xfns.c), if you do not have one matched(like terminus、or 75dpi things, you can look the output of `xlsfonts'), XIM can not be activated.

Input method module

Warning: You may still be able to use input method in most programs without the input method module, however, you may have unsolvable weird problems if you do so.

Warning: for firefox above version 13, the popup menu may fail to work due to xim, please make sure that fcitx-gtk2 along with a latest version fcitx are installed.

Ctrl+Space fail to work in GTK programs

This problem sometimes happens especially when locale is set as English. Please make sure your GTK_IM_MODULE is set correctly.

If you have set the *_IM_MODULE environment variables to fcitx but cannot activate fcitx, please check if you have installed the corresponding input method modules.

Some programs can only use xim, if you are using these programs, please make sure your XMODIFIERS is set properly and be aware of the problems you may have. These programs includes: all programs that are not using gtk or qt (e.g. programs that use tk, motif, or xlib directly), emacs, opera, openoffice, libreoffice, skype

If you cannot enable fcitx in gnome-terminal under gnome and the above way doesn't work, try selecting Fcitx in the right click Input method menu.